India This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website India by Željko Heimer, 6 November 2001 Flag adopted 22 July 1947, coat of arms adopted 26 January 1950. The flag was first flown and recognized as the Indian National Flag (not just as that of the Congress Party) in Hamburg in 1942. Ed Haynes, 30 September 1998 On 15 August 1947 the dominions of India and Pakistan were established. India adopted the familiar horizontal tricolor of orange, white, and green with a blue Ashoka Chakra at the center. The tricolor had been used, unofficially, since the early 1920s as the flag of the Indian National Congress, with the colors representing Hinduism (orange), Islam (green), and a hoped-for unity and peace (white). More unofficially, the flag was patterned on the other example of struggle against British imperialism, Ireland. Most often, a blue spinning wheel was shown in the center, derived from Gandhi's call for economic self-sufficiency through hand-spinning.

The spoked Ashoka Chakra (the "wheel of the law" of the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka) replaced the Gandhian spinning wheel to add historical "depth" and separate the national flag from the INC party flag (and Indian political party flags are another tale). Ed Haynes, 10 April 1996 The national flag strictly is a state flag, but Album des Pavillons (2000) in a note explains that it may be used by private citizens only in certain circumstances. Željko Heimer, 6 November 2001 Concerning the use of the national flag as a war flag (military flag), see our page on the Indian army . Colours of the flag Note: we have found it almost impossible to represent the shade of saffron on the Indian flag adequately for all monitors - some show it too yellow, other too orange. If you compare it with the colours on the flag of Brunei and Ireland you will see we have indeed chosen a tone between orange and yellow, as close to saffron as we can.

These are approximate colours shades for the Indian national flag: Orange: CMYK 0-50-90-0, Pantone 021c; Green: CMYK 100-0-70-30, Pantone 341c Santiago Dotor, 26 February 2001 The Indian saffron is approximated with browser-safe colours RGB 255-204-0 (FOTW Y+), and Indian green might be well 51-153-51. Željko Heimer, 6 November 2001 Quoting from IS 1:1968, "Specification for the National Flag of India (Cotton Khadi)": 3.1.2.2 The colours of the flag, that is, India saffron (KESARI), India green and navy blue, shall correspond, when visually examined in ordinary daylight to the colours in the seal standard flag held in the custody of the Chief Inspector, Chief Inspectorate of Textiles & Clothing, Kanpur.

[NOTE - Spectrophotometric values of the white, India saffron (KESAIR) and India green colours in the flag presented to the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947 were measured by the then Technical Development Establishment Laboratory (Stores), Kanpur using the illuminant C as specified by the International Commission on Illumination, 1931 and found to be as follows: Colour 0.288 0.395 0.317 8.9 It is intended that the flags made to conform to this standard should have colours approximating as closely as possible to the colours as defined above. For all practical purposes, however, correspondence to the seal standard flag shall be considered adequate. For the purpose of controlling production, sample pieces of bunting dyed to the standard colours [India saffron (KESARI), India green and navy blue] may be obtained at nominal cost from the Indian Standards Institution.] Jonathan Dixon, 17 January 2012 The protocol manual for the London 2012 Olympics ( Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 ) provides recommendations for national flag designs.

Each NOC was sent an image of the flag, including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what the NOC believed the flag to be. For India: PMS 1495 orange, 362 green, 2755 blue. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise. Ian Sumner, 11 October 2012 Meaning of the Flag 'The Indian flag is a horizontal tricolor in equal proportion of deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three. In the centre of the white band, there is a wheel in navy blue to indicate the Dharma Chakra, the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion Capital. This center symbol or the 'CHAKRA' is a symbol dating back to 2nd century BC.

Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes, which intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. The saffron stands for courage and sacrifice; the white, for purity and truth; the green for growth and auspiciousness. The Constituent Assembly which drew up the Constitution of India, adopted, on 22 July 1947, the tricolor as Independent India's National Flag. After a debate, the Dharma Chakra (of Emperor Ashoka) was included in the central white stripe of the flag, instead of the Charka (used symbolically by Gandhiji and also included in the flag used by the Indian National Congress). The same Chakra adorns the State Emblem adapted from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka in addition to the motto from the Mundaka Upanishad, Satyameva Jayate which means: Truth alone triumphs.

The Chakra or the wheel symbolizes the Power of the State governed by Dharma, which is the primordial Indian system of justice which is the bed-rock, not only of governance but of the socio-politico-economic edifice itself.' Brinda Maindiratta, 2 April 2003 The following is an extract from the preamble to the flag code of India as posted on the official Home Ministry website of the Indian government: The significance of the colours and the chakra in the National Flag was amply described by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in the Constituent Assembly which unanimously adopted the National Flag. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan explained -"Bhagwa or the saffron colour denotes renunciation of disinterestedness. Our leaders must be indifferent to material gains and dedicate themselves to their work. The white in the centre is light, the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green shows our relation to soil, our relation to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka Wheel in the centre of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma. Truth or satya, dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principles of those who work under this flag.

Again, the wheel denotes motion. There is death in stagnation. There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change." Shree Sinha, 25 November 2003 Reproduced below an extract from Jawaharlal Nehru's address to the Constituent Assembly for the date on which the national flag was adopted (Tuesday, 22 July 1947): "I present this Flag to you. This Resolution defines the Flag which I trust you will adopt. In a sense this Flag was adopted, not by a formal resolution, but by popular acclaim and usage, adopted much more by the sacrifice that surrounded it in the past few decades. We are in a sense only ratifying that popular adoption. It is a Flag which has been variously described. Some people, having misunderstood its significance, have thought of it in communal terms and believe that some part of it represents this community or that.

But I may say that when this Flag was devised there was no communal significance attached to it." At the same meeting of the Constituent Assembly, Govind Das added: "There is no touch of communalism in the three colours of the flag. Panditji (i.e., Jawaharlal Nehru) has already told you this in the course of his speech. It is true that at a time when the colours were red, white and green there was a trace of communalism in the flag. But when we changed these colours to saffron, white and green, we declared it in clear words that the three colours had no communal significance." The official website of the High Commission of India in London states "The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; and the green for faith and fertility. Shree Sinha, 25 November 2003 I have seen at a guess a dozen or more artificially constructed and intentionally fanciful imposed "meanings" for the Indian flag. Most are fairly phoney and contrived.

When first used early in this century, the explanation was simple: saffron = Hindus, green = Muslims, white = the peace between then (wish-fulfillment?), the wheel = the Gandhian spinning wheel (early on, more obviously so in the design). Post-independence explanations differ, though those today (especially the current pressure to change the flag to solid orange) return to earlier meanings. The similarity to the Irish flag , though with different equivalences, was not in any way an accident. Pick an explanation...? Ed Haynes, 30 September 1998 One of the spurious meanings of the Indian flag according to states the color of saffron/kesaria stand for patriotism (balidaan), white is for simplicity and peace, green is for agriculture (kheti) farming (kisan) and greenery (hariyali), the navy blue wheel in the center is the "Ashoka chakra", the wheel of progress. collected by Dov Gutterman, 30 September 1998 I'm extremely sceptical of the information about a controversy regarding the color of the flag. We have border disputes and other headaches, but an issue regarding the flag itself?

Doesn't exist. However, the significance of the blue wheel is much more (and here it borders on Hindu philosophy): "The chakra [wheel] in the Indian Flag which represents the wheel of life conveys the importance of karma. It is also a symbol for continuation of life and its cycles". Jeetendra Chandragiri, 17 Dec 1999 The entire flag code can be obtained at Outlook India or at the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs Pascal Vagnat, 18 January 2003, Zach Harden, 4 January 2010 Indlaw News , 9 March 2006, reported: "The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice for March 16 to Punjab Government on a plea against the use of National Flag by the chief parliamentary secretary and the parliamentary secretaries on their official vehicles.

The division bench of Justices Surinder Singh Saron and Surya Kant ordered this after the preliminary hearing on the application moved by advocate Antar Singh Brar, member of the Chandigarh BJP's legal cell, wherein he challenged the validity of the action of the respondents to use National Flag on their official vehicles." Ivan Sache, 14 March 2006 "Use of National Flags made of plastic affects the dignity of the flag as they are not biodegradable like the paper flags and also they cannot be destroyed for a long time. It is also harmful for the atmosphere. Having noticed large scale use of National Flags made of plastic, the Union ministry of home affairs has asked all states and Union government to use only flags made of paper on important national, cultural and sports events. The Union deputy home secretary, SM Bhatnagar in an intimation sent to the states' chief secretaries and secretaries of all ministries/departments of the government of India asked them to pay attention to paragraph 2.2 (x) of section-I of part II of the flag code of conduct of India.

The flag code of conduct of India states "the flag made of paper may be waved by public on occasions of important national, cultural and sports events. However, such paper flags should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event. As far as possible, it should be disposed of in private consistent with the dignity of the flag." In the intimation of the MHA which addresses the chief secretaries of states and Union territory governments, secretaries of all ministries/department of government of India asked them to ensure use of only flags made of paper on important national, cultural and sports events in terms of the provisions of the flag code of India." Source: The Imphal Free Press , 3 January 2006 Ivan Sache, 6 January 2007 Wikipedia informs us that the flag must, by law, be made from "Khadi," the sort of cloth Gandhi wove. Nathan Lamm, 4 January 2010 1.2 The National Flag of India shall be made of hand spun and hand woven wool/cotton/silk khadi bunting.

Camelia Toanchina, 5 January 2010 The flag, by law, is to be made of khadi, a special type of hand-spun cloth of cotton or silk made popular by Mahatma Gandhi. The manufacturing process and specifications for the flag are laid out by the Bureau of Indian Standards ( ) . The right to manufacture the flag is held by the Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission ( ), who allocate it to the regional groups. As of 2009, the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha ( ) was the sole manufacturer of the flag." Esteban Rivera, 23 March 2010 Information regarding the obsolete 1950 flag code: A strict flag code announced in the year 1950 regulated the use and display of the national flag. It barred the use of the flag in advertisements or for any other commercial activity. In fact, even private citizens were not allowed to fly the flag over their homes, offices or factories except on certain designated days like the Republic Day or the Independence Day.

Source: BBC News Contributed by Santiago Tazon, 31 August 2000 There is a clear proviso in the flag code permitting putting flower petals inside the national Tricolour before it is unfurled on special occasions like Republic Day and Independence Day... the proviso permitting the use of petals was added to Section 5.9 on January 24, 1997 Source: The Tribune Contributed by Jaume Ollé, 5 November 2000 by �eljko Heimer and Ivan Sache, 14 February 2007 In New Delhi in August 2001 I did not notice any flag of interest, but Indian national flags without the chakra hoisted on poles in the center of the city. Was this a way to circumvent the [old] law prohibiting private use of the national flag? Ivan Sache, 17 January 2002 According to "The Daily Times" (Karachi, Pakistan), 14 December 2005, the Parliament of India has adopted on 12 December 2005 a new law to protect the national flag and ban its uses deemed insulting.

The use of the national flag on underwear or on any other clothing worn below the belt shall be forbidden. However, sports figures and others can wear India�s green, white and orange national colours on T-shirts, caps and coats. The legislation makes it illegal to �insult� national symbols by displaying them on clothes and accessories worn below the belt or on underwear. The legislation also makes it illegal to embroider national symbols on pillow cases and handkerchiefs. This was also the early Indian Air Force marking, according to Cochrane and Elliott (1998) in the period 1947-48, and was used together with the fin flash using a square(ish) vertical tricolour of orange-white-green (orange to front). Željko Heimer, 11 November 2001 The Chakra on the National Flag was officially defined at 75% of the white stripe in 1947 (taken from specifications issued by the Indian Standards Institution), but according to William Crampton (1993) this has largely been ignored in practice ever since.

To quote from Dr Crampton's notes: "...in practice the Chakra occupies 98% of the white stripe (or thereabouts)", and the spec he drew up shows it at exactly that. Christopher Southworth, 23 May 2004 History of Indian Tricolor - My India, My Pride - Know India: National Portal of India History of Indian Tricolor History of Indian Tricolor "A flag is a necessity for all nations. Millions have died for it. It is no doubt a kind of idolatry which would be a sin to destroy. For, a flag represents an Ideal The unfurling of the Union Jack evokes in the English breast sentiments whose strength it is difficult to measure. The Stars and Stripes mean a world to the Americans. The Star and the Crescent will call forth the best bravery in Islam." "It will be necessary for us Indians Muslims, Christians Jews, Parsis, and all others to whom India is their home-to recognize a common flag to live and to die for." - Mahatma Gandhi Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country.

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag. The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. Evolution of the Tricolour It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception.

It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. In one way it reflects the political developments in the nation. Some of the historical milestones in the evolution of our National Flag involve the following: Unofficial flag of India The flag adopted in 1931. This flag was also the battle ensign of the The present Tricolour flag of India The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta now Kolkata. The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow and green. The second flag was hoisted in Paris by Madame Cama and her band of exiled revolutionaries in 1907 (according to some inl9OS). This was very similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one lotus but seven stars denoting the Saptarishi. This flag was also exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin. The third flag went up in 1917 when our political struggle had taken a definite turn. Dr.

Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak hoisted it during the Home rule movement. This flag had five red and four green horizontal strips arranged alternately, with seven stars in the saptarishi configuration super-imposed on them. In the left-hand top corner (the pole end) was the Union Jack. There was also a white crescent and star in one corner. During the session of the All India Congress Committee which met at Bezwada in 1921 (now Vijayawada) an Andhra youth prepared a flag and took it to Gandhiji. It was made up of two colours-red and green-representing the two major communities i.e. Hindus and Muslims. Gandhiji suggested the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to symbolise progress of the Nation. The year 1931 was a landmark in the history of the flag. A resolution was passed adopting a tricolor flag as our national flag. This flag, the forbear of the present one, was saffron, white and green with Mahatma Gandhi's spinning wheel at the center.

It was, however, clearly stated that it bore no communal significance and was to be interpreted thus. On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as Free India National Flag. After the advent of Independence, the colours and their significance remained the same. Only the Dharma Charkha of Emperor Asoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. Thus, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolour flag of Independent India. Colours of the Flag: In the national flag of India the top band is of Saffron colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land. The Chakra: This Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.

Flag Code On 26th January 2002, the Indian flag code was modified and after several years of independence, the citizens of India were finally allowed to hoist the Indian flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day and not just National days as was the case earlier. Now Indians can proudly display the national flag any where and any time, as long as the provisions of the Flag Code are strictly followed to avoid any disrespect to the tricolour. For the sake of convenience, Flag Code of India, 2002, has been divided into three parts. Part I of the Code contains general description of the National Flag. Part II of the Code is devoted to the display of the National Flag by members of public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc. Part III of the Code relates to display of the National Flag by Central and State governments and their organisations and agencies. There are some rules and regulations upon how to fly the flag, based on the 26 January 2002 legislation. These include the following: The Do's: The National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag.

An oath of allegiance has been included in the flag hoisting in schools. A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honour of the National Flag. Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises. The Don'ts The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather. The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft. No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting. More information on Flag Code of India (PDF file that opens in a new window) The Indian National Flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of India. It is the symbol of our national pride.

Over the last five decades, several people including members of armed forces have ungrudgingly laid down their lives to keep the tricolour flying in its full glory. Also see: National Flag - National Identity Elements of India - Know India: National Portal of India National Identity Elements of India National Flag National Flag The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra. The top saffron colour, indicates the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The green shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947.

It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. Flag Of India | Indian Child Flag Of India Learn about India’s republic day Indian Flag THE NATIONAL FLAG OF INDIA is in tricolour ( TIRANGA) of deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportions. The Indian flag is a horizontal tricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three. In the centre of the white band, there is a wheel in navy blue to indicate the Dharma Chakra, the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion Capital. This center symbol or the ‘CHAKRA’, is a Buddhist symbol dating back to 200th century BC.

Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes, which intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; the green for faith and fertility. The design of the National Flag of India was adopted by India’s constituent assembly on 22nd july, 1947. It’s use and display are regulated by a code. The flag symbolizes freedom. The late Prime Minister Pandit Nehru called it a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom for all people. 2002- The Amendment to the Flag code in India. A Landmark judgement ! The 53rd Republic Day on January 26 , 2002, was a very special day for us Indians. Fifty-four years after the tiranga (our Indian flag as it is popularly known) was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the national flag, the citizens were free to hoist the Indian flag thanks to a public interest petition filed by Navin Jindal, a young industrialist from Madhya Pradesh, India .

Click here to know more about the FLAG CODE OF INDIA “It will be necessary for us Indians — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Parsis and all others to whom India is their home — to recognise a common flag to live and die for.” — Mahatma Gandhi’s quote on our Indian flag Interesting Facts – India’s Flag The Indian national flag was hoisted on Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world, on May 29 1953, along with the Union Jack and the Nepalese National flag. Bhikhaji Rustom Cama was the first Indian to have raised an Indian flag on foreign soil and announced to the world our political flight with the British for the country’s Independence. Madame Cama’s flag had green on the top, golden saffron and red at the bottom. Eight lotuses, representing the eight provinces, were lined on the Indian flag. Vande Mataram was written in gold with the Crescent towards the hoist of the flag and the Sun on the other side. In 1971, the Indian flag, went into space on board Apollo-15.

It flew into space as a medallion on the spacesuit worn by Cosmonaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, during the Indo-Soviet joint space flight in April 1984. PROUD TO BE INDIAN 🙂 India Flag, History of Indian Flag Size:1024x768 The Indian National Flag symbolises national pride and is one of the most respected national symbols. The late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru called it "a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom to all people." As per the Indian laws, the national flag is to be made up of khadi. The flag code of India governs the usage of the flag. Initially, use of the flag by private citizens was prohibited, except on national days like Republic Day and Independence Day. But gradually, some changes were made by the Union Cabinet about the flag's use by private citizens. The code was amended about its usage for hoisting and its adaptation on other types of clothes. The national flag is popularly known as Tiranga, which means "three colours" or "tricoloured".

It is a horizontal tricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is 2:3. At the centre of the white band is a wheel with 24 spokes in navy blue colour that indicates the Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Law). Blank India Flag for Kids The significance of the colours of the flag: Saffron: Saffron is a symbol of courage and sacrifice. White: The white colour represents honesty, peace and purity. It highlights the importance of maintaining peace in the country. Green: The green colour represents faith and chivalry. It is a symbol of prosperity, vibrancy and life. Ashoka Chakra: The Ashoka Chakra or the Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Law) has 24 spokes and appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka. History of Indian National Flag The Indian national flag represents India's long struggle for freedom. It signifies the status of India as an independent republic. The flag came into being in its present form at the meeting of Constitutional Assembly on 22 July 1947.

Since then it has served as the National Flag of the Dominion of India from 15 August 1947 to 26 January 1950 and, thereafter, as the national flag of the Republic of India. The Indian National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya and contains three equal strips of saffron, white and green. The history of the Indian National Flag over the years: 1904-06:: The history of the Indian flag dates back to pre-independence era. It was between 1904 and 1906 that the first Indian flag came into being. It was made by an Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Her name was Sister Nivedita and after some time this flag came to be known as Sister Nivedita's flag. This flag comprised the red and yellow colours. Red signified the freedom struggle and yellow was a symbol of victory. It had the words "Bonde Matoram" in Bengali written on it. The flag also contained a figure of 'Vajra', weapon of god 'Indra', and a white lotus in the middle.

The 'Vajra' is a symbol of strength and lotus depicts purity. Indian flag in 1906: After Sister Nivedita's flag, another flag was designed in 1906. It was a tricolour with three equal strips of blue (top), yellow (middle) and red (lower). In this flag the blue strip had eight stars of slightly different shapes. The red strip had two symbols, one of sun and the other of a star and a crescent. The yellow strip had 'Vande Mataram' written on it in Devnagiri script. In the same year another version of this flag was created. It was also tricolour but its colours were different. It had orange, yellow and green and came to be known as 'Calcutta flag' or 'Lotus flag', as it had eight half open lotuses on it. It is believed to be have been designed by Sachindra Prasad Bose and Sukumar Mitra. It was unfurled on 7 August 1906 at Parsi Bagan Square, Kolkata.

The day was being observed as "boycott day" against the partition of Bengal and Sir Surendranath Banerjee hoisted this flag to mark the unity of India. Indian flag in 1907: In 1907 came the Madam Bhikaji Rustom Cama's flag. The flag was collectively designed by Madam Bhikaji Cama, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar) and Shyamji Krishna Varma. The flag was unfurled by Madam Cama on 22 August 1907 at Stuttgrat, Germany, and attained the status of the first Indian flag to be hoisted at a foreign land. From this event onwards it was also referred to as 'Berlin Committee flag'. The flag consisted of three colours- the topmost being green followed by golden saffron in the middle and the red colour at the bottom. 1916: In 1916 Pingali Venkayya, a writer and a geophysicist, designed a flag with the intention to bring the whole nation together. He met Mahatma Gandhi and sought his approval.

Mahatma Gandhi suggested him to incorporate a charkha as a symbol of economic regeneration of India, in the flag. Pingali created the flag from hand spun yarn 'Khadi'. The flag had two colours and a 'Charkha' drawn across them but Mahatma Gandhi did not approve of it as he was of the opinion that red represented the Hindu community and green Muslims, but the other communities of India were not represented in the flag. Indian Flag in 1917 :The Home Rule League formed by Bal Gangadhar Tilak adopted a new flag in 1917, as at that time the Dominion status was being demanded for India. The flag had the union jack at the top, near the hoist. The rest of the flag contained five red and four blue strips. It had seven stars on it in the shape of 'Saptarishi' constellation which is supposed to be the sacred one for Hindus. It also had a crescent moon and a star at the top fly end. This flag did not gain popularity among the masses. Indian Flag in 1921:As Mahatma Gandhi wanted all the communities of India to be represented in the flag of the nation, a new flag was designed.

This flag had three colours. At the top was white then green and at the bottom was red. White symbolised minority communities of India, green Muslims and the red represented Hindu and Sikh communities. The 'Charkha' was drawn across all the bands symbolising the unification of these communities. The pattern of this flag was based on the flag of Ireland, another nation which was struggling to get its independence from Britain. Although the Congress Committee did not adopt it as its official flag but it was widely used as a symbol of nationalism in India's freedom struggle. Indian Flag in 1931: Some people were not happy with the communal interpretation of the flag. Keeping this in view, a new flag was designed which replaced red with ochre. This colour signified the combined spirit of both religions as saffron was the colour of Hindu yogis as well as Muslim darvesh. But the Sikh community also demanded a separate representation in the flag or the complete abandonment of religious colours. This resulted in another flag by Pingali Venkayya. This new flag had three colours. Saffron was at the top followed by white in the middle and green at the bottom. The 'Charkha' was placed at the center.

This flag was passed at the meeting of Congress Committee in 1931 and was adopted as the official flag of the Committee. Indian Flag in 1947: When India got independence, a committee headed by Rajendra Prasad was formed to select the National Flag of India. The committee decided to adopt the flag of Indian National Congress, with suitable modifications, as the flag of independent India. As a result, the flag of 1931 was adopted as Indian flag but 'Charkha' in the middle was replaced by 'Chakra' (wheel) and hence our National Flag came into being. British India Flag 1858-1947:This flag introduced by British India in 1858. The design of the flag was based on western heraldic standards and it was similar to flags of other British colonies, including Canada and Australia. The blue banner included the Union Flag in the upper-left quadrant and a Star of India capped by the royal crown in the middle of the right half. Manufacturing : The 'Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)' sets standards for the manufacture of the flag. It specifies the cloth, dye, colour, and thread count besides laying out rules regarding its hoisting.

The Indian flag can only be made of 'Khadi'. It is made of two types of khadi - one for its main part and the other one for the cloth that holds the flag to the staff. Code of Conduct The flag is a national symbol and is respected by every Indian. There are certain dos and don'ts laid down for common people regarding the flag: When the National Flag is raised the saffron colour band should be at the top. No flag or emblem should be placed either above the National Flag or to its right. All other flags are to be placed to the left of the National Flag if they are hung in a line. When the National Flag is carried out in a procession or parade, it shall be on the marching right or in front of the center of the line, if there is a line of other flags. Normally the National Flag should be flown over important government buildings like the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Parliament House, the Supreme Court of India, the High Courts, the Secretariats, the Commissioners' office etc. The National Flag or any imitation of it must not be used for purpose of trade, business, or profession. The National Flag should always be taken down in the evening at sunset.

Some Interesting Facts Designed by‎: ‎Pingali Venkayya Adopted‎: ‎22 July 1947 The Indian flag was hoisted on the highest mountain peak of the world, Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. Madam Bhikaji Rustom Cama was the first person to hoist Indian flag on foreign soil on 22 August 1907 in Stuttgrat, Germany. The Indian National Flag flew to space in 1984 when Wing Commander Rakesh became the first Indian to travel to space. The flag was attached as a medallion on the space suit of Rakesh Sharma. The National Flag hoisted at Central Park, Connaught Place, New Delhi, is one of the largest in India. It is 90 feet in length, 60 feet in width and is hoisted on a flagpole of 207 feet. India holds the world record for the largest human flag which was formed by 50,000 volunteers in Chennai in December 2014.

Last Updated on : August 5, 2016 National Flag - National Symbols - Know India: National Portal of India National Flag National Flag The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra. The top saffron colour, indicates the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The green shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947. It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom.

The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. National Symbols | National Portal of India More on National Flag... National Anthem The National Anthem of India Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Kolkata Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem. Playing time of the full version of the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of the first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions. More on National Anthem... National Song The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. On January 24, 1950, the President, Dr.

Rajendra Prasad came up with a statement in the Constituent Assembly, "the song Vande Mataram, which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it." The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. The song was a part of Bankimchandra's most famous novel Anand Math (1882). More on National Song... State Emblem The state emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the Capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). More on State Emblem...

National Bird The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, the National Bird of India, is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. The male of the species is more colourful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green tail of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male and lacks the tail. The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a gorgeous sight. More on National Bird... National Animal The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris is a striped animal. It has a thick yellow coat of fur with dark stripes. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India. More on National Animal... National Flower Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn) is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial. India is rich in flora.

Currently available data place India in the tenth position in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity. From about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, 47,000 species of plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). India Flag Printables Shop India Flag Printables We've got Indian flag printables for your classroom projects or to decorate your home, perfect for when learning about India or perhaps supporting an Indian team in a sporting event! The national flag of India has three horizontal stripes; the top is India Saffron representing courage, the bottom is India green representing prosperity and the white in the middle represents truth and peace. There is a navy blue wheel in the centre which has 24 spokes, the Ashoka Chakra, a Buddhist symbol representing Dharma, or righteousness. The flags should be made of a special Indian silk called ‘kahdi’ made popular by Mahatma Ghandi. National Flag Of India, Indian National Flag, Indian Flag, Ashok Chakra, Indian Flag History, Indian Flag Code, National Symbols Of India.

Home : National Symbols : National Flag of India Search National Flag of India The National Flag of India, also called the 'Tiranga', was adopted during an ad hoc meeting of the Constituent Assembly of the country. The meeting was held on the 22nd July 1947, twenty-four days prior to India's independence from the British (which took place on 15th August 1947). Based on the flag of the Indian National Congress, which was designed by Pingali Venkayya, the flag is also the war flag Indian Army, hoisted daily on military installations. The heraldic description of Indian National Flag is Party per fess Saffron and Vert on a fess Argent a "Chakra" Azure. Design National Flag of India has been designed in such a way that it forms a horizontal tricolor, with the colors - saffron, white and green, in equal proportions. The deep saffron (kesari) color is at the top; white is in the middle, while dark green forms the bottom. The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3.

In the centre of the white band of the flag is a navy blue wheel, comprising of 24 spokes, which represents the Ashoka Chakra, seen on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. The diameter of the chakra approximates to three-fourth of the width of the white band of the flag. Significance The preamble of the flag code of India describes the significance of the colors and the chakra in the 'Tiranga'. It was amply described by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in the Constituent Assembly that unanimously adopted the National Flag. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan explained: Bhagwa or the saffron colour denotes renunciation of disinterestedness. Our leaders must be indifferent to material gains and dedicate themselves to their work. The white in the centre is light, the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green shows our relation to soil, our relation to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka Wheel in the center of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma. Truth or satya, dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principles of those who work under this flag.

Again, the wheel denotes motion. There is death in stagnation. There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change. Flag Code After 52 years, the citizens of India are free to fly the Indian National Flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day. On 26th January 2002, the flag code was changed, giving Indians the freedom to proudly display the national flag any where and any time. However, there are still some rules and regulations upon how to fly the flag, based on the 26th January 2002 legislation, which should be followed by the citizens. These rules and regulation includes certain dos and don'ts, which have been explained below. Do's The National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag. An oath of allegiance has been included in the flag hoisting in schools. A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise, consistent with the dignity and honor of the National Flag.

Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises. Don'ts The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather. The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft. No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems, can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolor cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting.

Question: What symbol is found in the centre of the Indian flag?
Answer: A WHEEL